#Report: Obama using Blackwater for assassinations in Pakistan
5292 Dead, 425 since 1/20/09
pakistan/
Report: Obama using Blackwater for assassinations in Pakistan
By Stephen C. Webster
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 -- 10:45 pm
The Obama administration is using mercenaries with the firm formerly
known as Blackwater to kidnap and assassinate high value targets in
Pakistan, according to a published report.
The program, operated out of the US Joint Special Operations Command, "is
so 'compartmentalized' that senior figures within the Obama
administration and the US military chain of command may not be aware of
its existence," an unnamed source with direct knowledge of the program
told The Nation reporter Jeremy Scahill.
Xe Services, formerly known as Blackwater, is also allegedly involved in
intelligence collection for a drone bombing campaign in the country.
Scahill's report added: "A defense official, on background, specifically
denied that Blackwater performs work on drone strikes or intelligence for
JSOC in Pakistan. 'We don't have any contracts to do that work for us. We
don't contract that kind of work out, period,' the official said. 'There
has not been, and is not now, contracts between JSOC and that
organization for these types of services.' The previously unreported
program, the military intelligence source said, is distinct from the CIA
assassination program that the agency's director, Leon Panetta, announced
he had canceled in June 2009. 'This is a parallel operation to the CIA,'
said the source. 'They are two separate beasts.'"
A Blackwater spokesman told The Nation that none of its forces are
operating in Pakistan. However, a "former senior executive at Blackwater"
told Scahill that Xe's mercs are indeed working in Pakistan, sometimes
employed by the country's government to operate alongside soldiers. The
arrangement allows the Pakistani government to deny any U.S. military
presence in the country, while allowing them to tap former U.S. special
forces members for high-risk missions.
Story continues below...
Scahill added that the CIA is also employing the firm in parallel
operations.
"Targeted killings are not the most popular thing in town right now and
the CIA knows that," Scahill's source reportedly said. "Contractors and
especially JSOC personnel working under a classified mandate are not
[overseen by Congress], so they just don't care. If there's one person
they're going after and there's thirty-four people in the building,
thirty-five people are going to die. That's the mentality. They're not
accountable to anybody and they know that. It's an open secret, but what
are you going to do, shut down JSOC?"
During the Bush administration, the JSOC was reportedly being commanded
by the vice president's office, effectively making them Dick Cheney's own
"executive assassination squad," according to investigative reporter
Seymour Hersh.
President Obama's top official on the occupation of Afghanistan, General
Stanley McChrystal, oversaw the JSOC from September 2003 to August 2008.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment, Scahill
reported.
Read Scahill's full report.
--
Slavery: The belief that people can be property
Corporatism: The belief that property can be people.
MagneticEnergy
time of year, why do Demo Crap operatives always spread these hateful
lies?
Must be one of those Islamo-Nazis, you probably pray for the
destruction of Israel every night, huh?
5292 Dead, 425 since 1/20/09
Well, I ain't much of one for praying, being an atheist and all. "Dear
To Whom It May Concern..." Nah. I just spend a few minutes reading a
good book instead before going to sleep.
But if I -was- the praying sort, I would pray that the Israelis would
come to their senses, throw out the fascist regime, and elect a
government determined to live in peace and prosperity with her neighbors.
5292 Dead, 425 since 1/20/09
> "5292 Dead, 425 since 1/20/09" <de...@dead.com> wrote:
>
>>http://rawstory.com/2009/11/report-obama-admin-blackwater-
assassinations-
>>pakistan/
>>
>>Report: Obama using Blackwater for assassinations in Pakistan
>
> Whatever it takes ... because if the islamists DO take over Pakistan,
> India is gonna NUKE it an hour later in self-defense against the
> inevitible.
I wouldn't count on it. Pakistan has about 25 nukes on missiles, and can
kill over 100 million Indians in six minutes. And it's pretty unlikely
that Russia or China would be happy with a pre-emptive strike.
But the Islamic fundies are in the same boat. If they attack India,
their country dies.
We used to call it "mutually assured destruction", or MAD.
Phlip
> Which is why a rapid move would be vital ... blast 'em
> before they can figure out how to launch the things.
But why O why did Obama allow Pakistan to have nukes in the first place??
ashley
Oh, wait, Obama didn't allow Pakistan to have nukes. It was his
predecessor, Bill Clinton...
liberal
> "5292 Dead, 425 since 1/20/09" <d...@dead.com> wrote:
>
> >http://rawstory.com/2009/11/report-obama-admin-blackwater-assassinati...
> >pakistan/
>
> >Report: Obama using Blackwater for assassinations in Pakistan
>
> over Pakistan, India is gonna NUKE it an hour later in
> self-defense against the inevitible.
90% probability you're right.
liberal
wrote:
As unreliable as the US anti-missile systems are (from Patriot on up)
bet India's busy buying several of these systems. And they may be
taking over the airborne laser project. They have a *BIG* incentive to
do so.
liberal
> "5292 Dead, 425 since 1/20/09" <d...@dead.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> >On Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:16:41 -0500, Mr.B1ack wrote:
>
>
> >>>http://rawstory.com/2009/11/report-obama-admin-blackwater-
> >assassinations-
> >>>pakistan/
>
> >>>Report: Obama using Blackwater for assassinations in Pakistan
>
> >> Whatever it takes ... because if the islamists DO take over Pakistan,
> >> India is gonna NUKE it an hour later in self-defense against the
> >> inevitible.
>
> >I wouldn't count on it. Pakistan has about 25 nukes on missiles, and can
> >kill over 100 million Indians in six minutes.
>
> before they can figure out how to launch the things.
>
> >that Russia or China would be happy with a pre-emptive strike.
>
> some harsh language (along with a wink and nod).
>
> Of course such a conflict WOULD justify China occupying
> Pakistan and maybe some northern Indian territories - in
> self defense. Lots of fallout would drift into China and
> who could blame them for seizing control ?
>
> >But the Islamic fundies are in the same boat. If they attack India,
> >their country dies.
>
> psychology.
>
> >We used to call it "mutually assured destruction", or MAD.
>
>
> Maybe someone should explain the concept
> to Iran and Israel ... ?
Clearly you've added anti-semitism to your panoply of "isms" but,
anyway, who has Israel threatened? Who has Israel said must be removed
from the maps of the world? Who has Israel attacked merely for
existing?
5292 Dead, 425 since 1/20/09
Given that these aren't ballistic missiles, and there aren't many of
them, such a shield might be semi-feasible for a brief time. Given the
targets are Indian cities, if just one in ten get through, that would be
a mortal blow to India.